Audeze LCD-2 "Vegan" Earpads - feedback, installation & mini-review - Page 5

Here they are at Headroom

 

http://www.headphone.com/accessories/audeze-lcd-2lcd-3-vegan-earpads.php

 

and here they are at Audeze

 

http://audeze.com/earpads

 

choose leather free

 

and here's he instructional video for installation

 

http://audeze.com/padschange

Can anyone who went from the leather pads to the velours comment on their comfort and sound after having spent a considerable amount of time with the velour pads?

I can!  The velour pads are much more comfortable than the leathers.  The LCD-2s are still absurdly heavy, but the clamp force seems lessened and my ears don't sweat quite so much.  The sound really isn't any different.

 

I had the exact same experience! I used to own the LCD2r.1 pads (the older stiffer ones) and they were a huge improvement for me. The velour pads made me use the LCD2s from ~2 hours per session (with constant readjustment) to an average listening session of 4~6 hours (because they are much more comfortable) I would say they are the biggest improvements ive ever done to my LCD2s so far :)

Thanks! This just convinced me to sell my Grado GS1000i and get a LCD 2.2 with velour pads!

Ok, for those LCD3 owners that have put the velours on, comments on comfort and sound? Some on here have said the velours are stiffer and harder then the stock leather pads and that is a concern . The leather pads are still uncomfortable for me, especially in the frontal area for some reason. I have tried to lessen the clamping force but in the end I end up fiddling with the cup placement constantly, putting as much pressure at the rear of the cup as possible.

Re: Vegan vs. LCD3: I tried them for a couple of weeks but then went back to the original LCD3 ones. I liked the material but the padding was a bit too hard compared to the softness of the LCD3 ones, for my taste anyway. If your issue is uneven pressure, mostly towards the front, the vegan ones may help in that they are likely to distribute the pressure more evenly. I found shifting the LCD3 ones backwards as a whole evened things out a bit more, and have been able to use them for hours. Also, extending them further down than I initially thought would be the best fit turned out to make them more comfortable to wear...

As far as SQ goes, frankly *I* couldn't hear a noteworthy difference, esp. compared to more impactful influences like tubesets etc.

The LCD-3 pads are softer than the LCD-2's or vegan. Sphinx has tried vegan with LCD-3 and reported a change in the sound.

Thank you for all your reviews.

 

I will probably get the LCD-2 next week from Munkong Gadget, the distributor in Bangkok. They only have the leather-free version on stock.

 

From your experience, do you think that the non-leather is more safe from the sweat of the head? are they easy to clean?

They are definitely cooler to wear because they breathe more. So I surmise you'll sweat less or at least sweat less frequently.

 

They're as easy to clean as the leather pads.

Are there any other comparative and more recent opinions on the SQ differences between vegan and leather?

 

I have just received my new LCD2.2s and my supplier has (mistakenly) sent me a version with vegan pads and headband...

Looks are subjective, and in this regard I am not sure what to do yet. If there's a difference in SQ people report, I will definitely be contacting them to address this...

Edited by negura - 2/15/13 at 10:40am

any lcd 3 owners willing to help out a fellow headfier get their hands on lcd 3 pads? :)

 

 

pm me if you are willing to help, thanks!

Agree I tried vegan for awhile with LCD3 but I eventually changed it back. 

I could hear a significant difference in audio quality. The loss of the seal gave a veil to my headphones. I ended up fiddling with my amp / dac for awhile before realizing that it was the vegans that had messed it up. 

 

Going back to my normal pads was like heaven. Never again. 

Edited by MightyChimp - 3/3/13 at 11:17pm

any idea where i can buy the vegan headband?

Just thought I'd chime in with my opinion on leather vs vegan. The comparison was made off two different LCD2s (one vegan, one leather, and not a direct A/B so take what I say with a grain of salt), so this doesn't take driver variation into account...

After having spent the day with them, here are the differences from memory between the leather vs vegan.

To my ears, bass in all manner of ways sounds the same to me, albeit with more speed now.

Mids are also the same.

The differences lie in the tonality and treble, which more than likely go hand in hand.

The vegan pads sounds more neutral, compared to the leather which sounds warmer. The treble is better integrated into the sound, with less congestion, and more air. The soundstage is also improved. It no longer sounds like a wall keeps sound cues from reaching further out.

That all sounds like vegan is better than leather, but the tradeoff is that the LCD2 isn't as warm as I remember, nor as velvety. I mean, it is still warm and rich, but not AS much. It's more tonally accurate.

While I compared the leather LCD2 to my K702 Anniversary, it was no question that the LCD2 was very thick, warm and congested in direct comparison. Much warmer. Now with the vegan pads, it shares a similar warmth and smoothness, that comes closer to true balance on a warm side, than a heavy tip towards warmth. The vegan LCD2 is still an LCD2, but that extra treble energy at 10khz basically fixed the treble roll off, which is a double edged sword to me. It makes the LCD2 technically better overall, but slightly takes away from that chocolatey goodness you get from leather LCD2 pads.

I would almost consider this a Hifiman-infused LCD2.

I wanna state that it's a subtle difference. You can expect warmth, incredible depth and texture in bass, stellar mids. But now, you can also expect a slight bit more agreeable amount of treble as well. If you want super smooth treble, go with leather. If you want a hint of sparkle, vegan is the way to go.

Which do I like more? Hmm, tough. There are times I miss that really smooth, chocolatey LCD2 sound, but there are times that I prefer the clearer, more airy sound. Either way, I'm happy, as bass and mids are amazing on both.